In general, a refrigerator has a plurality of storage compartments for accommodating foods to be stored so as to store the foods in a frozen or refrigerated state. Also, the storage compartment may have one surface that is opened to receive or dispense the foods. The plurality of storage compartments include a freezing compartment for storing foods in the frozen state and a refrigerating compartment for storing foods in the refrigerated state.
A refrigeration system in which a refrigerant is circulated is driven in the refrigerator. The refrigeration system may include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. The evaporator may include a first evaporator disposed at a side of the refrigerating compartment and a second evaporator disposed at a side of the freezing compartment.
Cool air stored in the refrigerating compartment may be cooled while passing through the first evaporator, and the cooled cool air may be supplied again into the refrigerating compartment. Also, the cool air stored in the freezing compartment may be cooled while passing through the second evaporator, and the cooled cool air may be supplied again into the freezing compartment.
As described above, in the refrigerator according to the related art, independent cooling may be performed in the plurality of storage compartments through separate evaporators.
In this connection, this applicant has been registered as Patent Registration No. 10-1275184 (Registration Date: Jun. 10, 2013).
The refrigeration system according to the Prior Patent includes a compressor 140, a condenser 150, a refrigerant supply unit 170, expansion devices 113 and 123, a first evaporator 110, and a second evaporator 120. The first and second evaporators 110 and 120 may be understood as heat exchangers that are respectively provided to cool separate storage compartments.
The refrigerant supply unit 170 may be provided as a three-way valve. A refrigerant introduced into the refrigerant supply unit 170 may be guided to the first or second evaporator 110 or 120.
That is, in the prior patent, the refrigerant may be selectively supplied into the first or second evaporator 110 or 120 to cool one storage compartment of the plurality of storage compartments and stop cooling of other storage compartments.
As described above, according to the related art, the plurality of storage compartments may not be cooled at the same time, but be selectively or alternately cooled.
In this case, although the storage compartment in which the cooling is performed is maintained to an adequate temperature, the storage compartment in which the cooling is not performed may increase in temperature and thus be out of a normal temperature range.
Also, in a state where the cooling of one storage compartment is required, if it is determined that the other storage compartment gets out of the normal temperature range, the other storage compartment may be not immediately cooled.
As a result, in the structure in which the storage compartments are independently cooled, the cool air is not supplied at a suitable time and place to deteriorate operation efficiency of the refrigerator.
Also, if all of both outlet sides of the refrigerant supply unit 170 are opened to cool the plurality of storage compartments at the same time, the refrigerant may be concentrated into one evaporator of the plurality of evaporators.
Particularly, when the three-way valve is used as the refrigerant supply unit, it may be difficult to maintain physical equilibrium of the three-way valve, i.e., an inclination of the three-way valve according to the installation state of the three-way valve. As a result, a relatively large amount of refrigerant may be introduced into one evaporator, and a relatively small amount of refrigerant may be introduced into the other evaporator.